Ian Purcell MD PhD Otoneurology Call 858 223 2172
Portrait of Dr. Ian Purcell
Provider profile · The Dizzy Doctor

Ian Purcell, MD PhD

Clinical Neurologist · Otoneurologist · Inventor of the DizzyDoctor® System

Specialty
Otoneurology
Education
MD · PhD Neuroscience
Research
NASA & TX Space Grant
Recognition
Top Doctor 2017–2024

Dr. Ian Purcell currently practices clinical neurology with an additional focus in otoneurology and headache management. He began the combined MD/PhD program in Neuroscience at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston in 1989, joining the Vestibular Neurophysiology Laboratory of Adrian A. Perachio, PhD in 1991.

He received six years of funding from the NASA Graduate Training Grant and the Texas Space Grant Consortium as a principal investigator. As a neurophysiologist and aviator, he is interested in how sensory information related to gravity is encoded and processed by the vestibular system to control oculomotor and postural reflexes — and how that drives spatial orientation in three-dimensional environments.

Dr. Purcell is involved in the innovation of new vestibular technologies and actively publishes on the vestibular system, remaining at the forefront of diagnosing and treating vestibular dysfunction. His clinical work, research, and engineering all converge in the DizzyDoctor® system — the technology, education, and global outreach he has built around modern vertigo and balance care.

Innovation

The DizzyDoctor® Vertigo Recording Goggles

Dr. Purcell stands at the forefront of unlocking the mysteries of the vestibular system — the cornerstone of human balance and orientation. The Dizzy Doctor goggles are a groundbreaking diagnostic device that leverage advanced eye-tracking to measure and analyze the eye movements that reveal vestibular function.

Built on decades of clinical experience and vestibular research, the goggles bring laboratory-grade nystagmus recording into routine practice — sharpening diagnoses for vertigo, BPPV, Meniere's, vestibular migraine, and post-concussive balance disorders.

DizzyDoctor Vertigo Recording Goggles
DizzyDoctor patents

A portfolio of utility & design patents in vestibular care

From diagnostic hardware to data-analysis software, Dr. Purcell holds international utility and design patents covering devices and methods that have shaped the diagnosis and treatment of balance disorders — including the DizzyDoctor® System itself.

Vertigo Recording Goggles

Eye-tracking optics, calibration logic, and image-analysis methods used to detect and quantify nystagmus.

Diagnostic protocols

Patented procedures for positional and gaze testing in the clinic and at the bedside.

Software & data systems

Methods for analyzing recorded eye movements and translating them into actionable clinical interpretation.

Treatment hardware

Mechanical and software innovations supporting Epley-style repositioning and vestibular rehab.

Aviation & vestibular science

When the cockpit becomes a vestibular lab

As a neurophysiologist and lifelong aviator, Dr. Purcell tests his diagnostic tools in environments where the vestibular system is pushed to its limits — high-G aerobatics, jetpack flight, and skydiving — to better understand how vestibular and somatosensory inputs maintain balance in patients with vestibular pathology.

40+ years of aviation

Private and commercial pilots from across the globe consult Dr. Purcell, who leverages four decades on unique aerospace flight platforms to inform clinical care.

Jetpack research

Pilots maneuvering jetpacks engage complex vestibular cues to maintain balance in three-dimensional space — mirroring the disorientation patients face in everyday life.

Skydiving for empathy

Clinic staff are encouraged to skydive to understand how the vestibular system responds to extreme orientations — directly informing diagnostics and rehab strategy.

Top Gun Maverick · 2022

Naval Aviation balance-awareness event

Dr. Ian Purcell and Dr. Sanjay Ghosh collaborated with the Top Gun Association and the San Diego Aerospace Museum to host a distinguished Naval Aviation event at Liberty Station on May 26, 2022 — a convergence of neurology, neurosurgery, and naval aviation honoring the legacy of Top Gun.

Over 300 active and retired pilots attended, joined by lectures from Dan Pedersen, Darrell Gary, and Jim Kidrick on the mission and ethos of the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School. The evening closed with a pre-screening of Top Gun: Maverick.

Top Gun event
Sports medicine and vestibular science
Sports medicine

Specialized care for athletes & balance integration

Dr. Purcell integrates sports medicine with vestibular science, working with athletes in high-impact disciplines — including mixed martial arts, surfing, and collegiate sports — to diagnose and rehabilitate the brain trauma and inner-ear injuries that compromise balance and spatial orientation.

Athletes receive advanced diagnostic evaluation (VNG, EEG, EMG/NCV, and CDP) and personalized rehabilitation plans, including Epley repositioning, vestibular therapy, and structured balance-integration protocols for a safe return to sport.

Advanced diagnostics

Diagnostic Testing & Innovation

State-of-the-art technology for precise diagnosis of vestibular, neurological, and balance disorders. Each test is administered by trained specialists and interpreted by Dr. Purcell to guide targeted treatment.

In the media

Television, news & press coverage

Dr. Purcell's pioneering work in otoneurology has been featured across television, local news, newspapers, and magazines — highlighting his innovative approach to vertigo and balance care.

Around the world

DizzyDoctor — a global mission

Dr. Purcell has carried the DizzyDoctor® goggles and his research across borders — collaborating with hospitals, training programs, and aviation partners on five continents to advance balance-disorder awareness and care.

11Destinations
40+Hospitals
20M+Patients
Destinations Scroll to explore →
Bahrain
DestinationBahrainDr. Ian Purcell visited with the King of Bahrain to spread awareness about balance disorders and showcase how aviation…
Indonesia
DestinationIndonesiaIn the lush landscapes of Bali, the Dizzy Doctor embarks on a pivotal leg of his global journey - a mission dedicated to…
The North Pole
DestinationThe North PoleIn the extreme and icy conditions of the North Pole, Dr. Purcell tests the resilience of the Dizzy Doctor Vertigo Recording…
China
DestinationChinaThe deployment of the Dizzy Doctor Vertigo Recording Goggles in China by Dr. Purcell represents a significant step forward in…
China: ENT & Neurology Hospitals
DestinationChina: ENT & Neurology HospitalsDr. Purcell has significantly contributed to ENT and neurology globally through his extensive collaborations with over 40…
Croatia
DestinationCroatiaDr. Purcell brings the Dizzy Doctor Vertigo Recording Goggles to Croatia, exploring its stunning coastline and historic…
Hawaii
DestinationHawaiiIn Hawaii, the Dizzy Doctor utilizes the Vertigo Recording Goggles amidst the islands' natural beauty. Partnering with local…
Greece
DestinationGreeceIn Greece, the introduction of the Dizzy Doctor Vertigo Recording Goggles by Dr. Purcell merges cutting-edge medical…
San Francisco
DestinationSan FranciscoIn the heart of innovation and technological advancement, the team behind the Dizzy Doctor Vertigo Recording Goggles makes a…
Albania
DestinationAlbaniaDr. Purcell's journey with the Dizzy Doctor Vertigo Recording Goggles in Albania marks a new era in tackling balance disorders…
Turkey
DestinationTurkeyDr. Purcell and the entire Dizzy Doc team deliver lectures on the diagnosis and treatment of complex neurology and…